ANNAPOLIS—Gov. Martin OMalleys budget passed the Senate in a landslide vote, with only five Republicans voting against it and seven Republicans voting in favor along with 35 of their Democratic colleagues.

The budgets passage was preceded by an exceptionally short debate, which lasted only an hour and included no Republican proposals to cut state spending in fiscal year 2014.

After about $400 million in cuts, both houses have approved a $36.8 billion budget for fiscal 2014. The budget bill will now be sent to a conference committee, where state legislators will have to hash out the differences between the House and Senate versions of the bill.

The the budget bills progress was accelerated by a vote to suspend Senate rules , which allowed a final vote on the bill during the same session that it received senators preliminary approval.

Republican senators offered six floor amendments to the budget during Wednesdays session, but most of their amendments addressed policy issues, like abortion and stem cell research. None included across-the-board spending cuts like those proposed by Del. Kelly Schulz, R-Frederick County, during the House budget debate.

Minority Leader E.J. Pipkin, R- Queen Annes County, proposed an amendment which would set aside $100 million of state education funding to pay for armed guards in public schools, but the amendment was shot down in an 11-36 vote.

Montgomery County Democrat Richard Madaleno explained his no vote on Pipkins amendment, saying, I appreciate the good intent of that amendment, but the fiscal note for it says that it would cost the state $100 million to provide a guard at each school.